With the increase of study abroad programs, overseas vacations and mission trips, people are traveling more than ever. The availability of decent cameras for low prices makes taking photos increasingly more popular. We are seeing pictures of people living in the slums in India and Africa. There are photos of starving children, diseased people and those living in filth. For many of us, the experience is life changing and something we want to capture to take home and show our friends and family.
There is a problem with taking such photos when little sensitivity is given to the people of whom the photo is taken. How would I feel if I had been burnt badly enough to be left with heavy scars on my face and body, and foreigners gathered to take pictures of me? How would you feel if extremely wealthy people stopped in front of your modest home in amazement at how the average person lives, and they even took photos? All I ask is that we shoot photos with sensitivity towards the feelings of others. Here are some suggestions to help you get your photo without offending others. 1. Ask before you shoot. 2. Show the people the photo you took. They will get a huge enjoyment out of seeing their face inside the tiny black box and will probably ask you to take another. 3. Don’t get too close to a sensitive issue as you can always zoom in later. Leave that for photo editing. For example, last summer in Zimbabwe I wanted a photo of a lady who had elephant foot. I asked her if I could take a photo of her with my sister. Later I zoomed in on her foot. She never knew. 4. Find something to compliment the people about before taking the shot. Mention their braided hair, their colorful dress or their pretty baby. Many times, when buying curios off the street, I ask to take a shot of the artist with the curio to remember them by. That always makes them proud. If I want a photo of the food, I ask about the cook, act very excited to taste it, and make it seem an honor, even if it is only a boiled chicken foot. 5. Think first. If you would be embarrassed to have your photo taken in that situation, then they probably are too. Try to leave the people with a bit of pride and dignity! Let us take seriously Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (NIV) If we take this to heart we will be willing to forgo a photo, out of humility, if it might offend another. We will lovingly give up our rights so that we might treat others as we would like to be treated.